BACKGROUND
Metropolitan Context
© Erik Telldén, Stockholm 2010. Photos and maps are made by the author if nothing else is mentioned. Areal plans and photos are provided by and published with the permission of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
Contact:
Erik Telldén
Phone: +46702267034
E-mail: erik_tellden@hotmail.com
Preface
BACKGROUND
This work that you now are reading is a Masters Diploma work in Spa- tial planning at Blekinge Institute of Technology in Karlskrona Sweden and the result of eight months of studies.
In May 2009 Erik Telldén (author) and Mikael Klaesson received a scholar- ship from the Swedish International Development co-operation Agency, SIDA, to carry out a study about Development of sustainable transporta- tion nodes in Port Elizabeth.
In late October 2009 we arrived to South Africa and Port Elizabeth to carry out three months of field studies.
Our aim was to create two proposals for the future development in Kor- sten nodal interchange and put them in an African context regarding to local traditions and habits from the eyes of a Swedish planner. By request from Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, who gave us our task, a lot of effort has been put to questions concerning the informal economy and tradition in the third world, also questions about identity, sustainability and community were given a lot of thought.
To have the opportunity to work in Port Elizabeth and in an African context has been a great challenge and an adventure for me as planner as well as an individual. I have gained a lot of knowledge in both planning and on a personal level that I will carry with me in the future.
Stockholm may 2010
Author and hawkers in Korsten Photo: Mikael Klaesson
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank a few people who made my work, life and adventure possible and enjoyable in so many ways:
First of all I would like to thank my supervisor in Port Elizabeth, Mr.
Schalk Potgeiter, assisting director of Planning at Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM). Thank you for putting so much effort in to mine and Mikaels work and for showing so much great hospitality.
Special thanks to you and your wife for those great dinners at your home.
I would also like thank my companion in South Africa and good friend Mikael Klaesson for all the good days and adventures in South Africa and throughout the years.
My supervisors in Sweden, Gunnar Nyström, Senior Lecturer, Archi- tect SAR/MSA and Nina Södergren, Planning Architect FPR/MSA for giving your time and great input.
Many thanks also goes out to the planning staff at Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) for welcoming us to your office and show- ing the great hospitality of the friendly city. Special thanks to Bulelani Mara, Mathabo Mosia, Tindor, Tom Xulani, Allan De Vr- ies, Vannessa Van Der Mecht, Bridgette Loggenberg and Can- dice Pillay.
Thank you, Gustaf Asplund ,for helping us with accommodation in your great flat.
And last but not least many thanks to all the friends who made my stay in South Africa so memorable: Avon, Warren, Viktor, Franklin and Anna.
6
Abstract
My project takes place in Korsten four kilometers north of cen- tral Port Elizabeth. Korsten is today known as the industrial center of the city and provides job opportunities throughout the whole region. Central Korsten contains the biggest informal market within Port Elizabeth; it is also functioning as a nodal interchange where buses and minibus taxis provide transport within the city as well as nationwide.
In 2010 major changes in the transport system will take place as a part of the 2010 world cup program. The city introduces the new Bus rapid transit system, a transportation system based on trunk buses complimented with minibus taxis.
The first route is the Khulani corridor, stretching from Central to Motherwell via Korsten and Njoli square. Korsten will act as a major nodal interchange where two different BRT lines (Bus Rapid Trans- port system) have their stops as well as express buses and minibus taxis. Introducing a new bus-system to Korsten will be a great chal- lenge especially concerning Korstens informal identity and tradition.
Korsten has a long and strong informal tradition and the informal economy is today an integral part of the South African economy and something that most South Africans come in contact with on daily bases. But it is an economy and movement not measurable or regu- lated by the government. The informal economy got its own rules and traditions and it flourishes in Korsten. It creates job opportuni- ties as well as a possibility to buy everyday goods to a reasonable price, but it also contributes to a hectic and unstructured environ- ment which gives a chaotic impression.
This dissertation highlights the informal tradition and its possibil- ity to be an integral part of the modern Korsten. It investigates the meaning of the public space and what role it plays in our cities and how it can be implemented in Korsten.
BACKGROUND
My aim is to present a proposal of how to develop the physical environment in Korsten into an attractive and well functioning nodal interchange as well as a community with a strong identity which gives a breeding ground for Local Economic Development.
Focus will be on two different problem areas, identity and informal- ity. Identity is closely related to the public space. What does the public space mean to the city and what can it mean to Korsten?
What are the important keystones in the public space and what qualities do Korsten have today and what type of qualities can be implemented in the future?
Closely linked to the public space is the problem with informality and the lack of structure that you see in Korsten today.
How can the municipal authorities rearrange the public space in Korsten, regulate traffic and street commerce and support transition from informal trade to more established enterprise?
Aim and objectives
8
Table of contents
Introduction
Preface...5
Acknowledgements...6
Abstract...7
Aim and objectives...8
Table of contents...9
Method...11
Background International context...15
National Context...16
The Metropolitan Context...16
Socioeconomic and demographical context...17
Municipal guidelines...18
Spatial Development Framework over the Stadium Area...19
Public transport...21
Inventories Local Context...25
Current land use...26
Commercial activities...27
Housing...29
Decay and urban blight...30
Public Facilities...30
Traffic and road network...31
Green Structure...31
Informality and traffic conflits ...32
Analysis SWOT Analysis...35
Strenghts...35
Weaknesses ...36
Opportunities ...36
Threats...37
City structure analysis...39
The interviews...41
The result and conclusions for further work...42
In-depth analysis Public Space...47
Introduction to the Public Space...47
Public Space in Korsten from a Gehl perspective...49
Keeping the public space public ...50
Identity...51
Invisible criminals and dangers every where...52
The Informal tradition...54
Local economic development and informal trading in Korsten...55
Proposal Korsten Town...59
Two Scenarios...60
The vibrant and attractive public space...63
Korsten Town the safe community with the strong identity...65
The accessible node...66
Land use...69
Traffic structure...70
Local Economic Development...71
Unity and local support...71
Structure, regulations and design solutions...72
Design proposals...73
The local support centre...73
From Informal to established...73
Informal...74
Formal...75
Established...75
Trading Zones...76
Implementation strategy...77
Refrences Refrences...78
10
Method
Methods used are Inventories through observations and interviews of municipal officials, planning professionals, hawkers and citizens.
Literature studies of official planing documents and municipal guidelines.
Analyses were carried out using methods from Lynch and Gehl.
Sketching, resulting in a design proposal over the future develop- ment of Korsten.
Description of the work process
I arrived in Port Elizabeth in october 2009 together with Mikael Klaesson to carry out three months of field work.
First arriving in Port Elizabeth our task was to get to know the local culture, social structure and situation. Thereafter we dig deeper in to questions regarding the current planning situation and the chal- lenges it brings. Lots of time was spent driving and walking within
the city to get to know its inhabitants different parts and history. This was made in company of our many helpful colleges at Nelson Man- dela Bay Municipality (NMBM).
To further understand the planning situation with its many challeng- es we took part in a teaching and discussion session at Port Eliza- beth University arranged by NMBM Planning department for three full Fridays.
The sessions were very useful and introduced us to many challenges and a whole new planning context. It also introduced us to Port Elizabeth’s planning guide for sustainable communities (NMBM, 2007), a very helpful and important tool in our further field work.
After introductions we decided with advice from Mr.Schalk Potgeiter upon an area to work with along the Khulani corridor. Korsten was the area of choice providing a great variety of challenges. Korsten provides urban and modern challenges that can be put in an inter- national context, such as introducing a whole new public transporta-
1 Sketching session at NMBM
tion system, reducing urban sprawl and increasing local economic devel- opment as well as questions closely linked to the third world context such as informality, crime and pov- erty.
Further we conducted fieldwork, doing detailed inventories, watch- ing the street life and did formal and informal interviews. Lots of effort was put in to observation, to get a feeling of the area and its street life, the enjoyment, the conflicts and its problems. Observations and infor-
mal interviews were especially important to research the way the in- formal culture worked therefore it is an underground culture outside the formal regulations and accessible information. Short sketching and discussion sessions were also held at the municipal office with our colleagues at NMBM.
The inventories lead to the next step, analysis based on the meth- ods of the City structure analysis by Kevin Lynch and the SWOT analysis method. The city Structure Analysis where made through interviews with citizens spending their time in Korsten. It resulted in a map showing their gathered mental image of Korsten. The SWOT analysis highlights the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats identified in Korsten. At this point our work was divided in to two based on our common analysis. The work that you are now reading is written by Erik Telldén.
To further analyze the planning situation and issues, a literature study and deeper analysis were made based on the work of Jan Gehl, Jane Jacobs and Zigmund Bauman. Two dissertations were also helpful when analyzing the issues I aimed to address. The Un- dergraduate thesis ”Mind the gap”about the public Space and its role in the city written by Karin Görlin and Emma Simonsson from the University of Alnarp, Sweden. I also used the dissertation; the effects of Durban Municipality’s informal economy policy on informal market management: a case study of Millennium Market, Phoenix dealing with issues regarding informal trading, written by Candice Pillay at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The analyze and in-depth analyze was followed by many detailed sketching sessions in order to get a final design proposal showing a gathered spatial plan of the future development of Korsten as a sustainable, vibrant and functional transportation node.
12
